The invention relates generally to connector assemblies, and more particularly to surface mount connector assemblies configured to hold an electronic module in a predetermined position and orientation.
Surface mount technologies, such as land-grid array (LGA) assemblies and ball-grid array (BGA) assemblies, involve mounting an electronic module onto a printed circuit board (PCB). For example, in an LGA assembly, the module is mounted onto an interposer, which, in turn, is mounted onto a PCB. The module and the PCB each have contacts along their respective surfaces that mate with the interposer, and the interposer has conductive pathways that electrically couple the contacts of the module to corresponding contacts of the PCB. In conventional LGA assemblies, a unitary frame is mounted onto the PCB and is configured to completely surround the interposer. When the module is mounted onto the interposer, the module is held by the frame in a predetermined position and orientation (i.e., a mounted position) alongside the interposer.
However, the frames are typically constructed from a hard, metallic material that completely surrounds the interposer. If the interposer, the module, and/or the PCB are not each precisely manufactured to specification, the components may be misaligned or not properly oriented with respect to each other. Forcing the components into the proper positions may damage the components or, more specifically, the contacts on the components.
Furthermore, in order to maintain the connection between the contacts on the module and the conductive pathway of the interposer, a force is applied to the module and/or PCB to compress the module, interposer, and PCB together. Additional parts may be used to create this force, which may also increase the cost of the assembly or damage the components.
Accordingly, there is a need for a connector assembly that will properly align and hold an electronic module in a mounted position. Furthermore, there is a need for alternative methods and features that facilitate aligning and holding the components of a connector assembly.